Electromagnetic switch



Aug. 28, l923; 1,466,268

- 'W. W. BROWN ELECTROMAGNETIC S'WITCH Filed March 10. 1921 Inventor:

William W. Brown ,3 .AQZW 4 M His Attornei;

Patented Aug. 28,1923

* UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM w. BROWN, or sonnnncrnnyfnnw roan, assrenoa T0 ennnnannrnc'rnic 'coMPAnY, A conronarronor nnw vomr.

ELECTROMAGNETIC SWITCH.

' Application filed March 10, 1921. Serial No. 451,091.

To all whomit may concern Be it known that I, VVILLIAM WV. Bnowma citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of N ew. York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electromagnetic Switches, of which the following is a specification. I My invention relates to improvements in electromagnetic switches. I jects of the invention is the provision ofzan improved electromagnetic switch in which the friction of the moving parts is reduced to a minimum. Another object is the pro vision of an improved arrangement whereby the switch contacts shall have the desirable cushioning and wiping actions. A further object is the provision of an improved ar rangement whereby the switchwill be capable of. repeated operation at a. high speed.

In carrying my invention into effect in one form, Iprovide a pair of cooperating switch contacts, one of which is movable and is biased to one position. An electromagnet is provided ,for' operating the movable contactto a secondposition, and the electromagnet is provided with a plunger which is supported at both of its ends within the winding of. the electromagnet and is operatively connected at both of its ends with the'movable contact. The plunger of the operating electromagnet is suspended within the winding of the elect-rornagnet so as to be freely movable without friction.

The movable switch contact member is preferably resilient and is also resiliently mounteds'o that the contacts of the switch are given a wiping action in closing and the contacts have also a cushioning effect which is desirable for minimizing the wear on the contacts. For, a better understanding of the invention, reference is had'to the accompanying drawing which illustrates an embodiment of the invention for purposes of illustration and in which Fig. 1 shows a side view of one form of my improved electromagnetic switch, and Fig. 2" is a'front view of; the tch.

Referring to the drawing, the switch is provided with the stationary contact 10' which is held inthe supporting member 11.v

Cooperating with thisstationary contact isa movable contact 12 whichis connected to a resilient contact member 13 yieldingly con- One of the obmy invention is. as follows:

nected to the supporting base 14 by means of the thin metallic strip 15. The operating electromagnet 16 of the switch is provided with a plunger 17 which is supported at each of its ends in proper position within the winding of the electromagnet. The lefthand end of the plunger is provided with av member 18 which cooperates with the surface of a bearing support 19 which is secured to the resilient contact member 13 to form a knife-edge type of pivotal connection. The right-hand end of the support is provided with an end 20 which cooperates with the bearing surface. of a support 21 secured to the resiliently mounted supporting rod 22 to form a similar knife-edge pivotal support. The knife edge pivotal supports for ments between the plunger and the contact member. However, the plunger is supported in such a manner that it has practically only an axial movement of the magnet wind ing, so that rubbing of the plunger on the interior. surface of the spool on which the magnet winding is mounted is thus pre vented. The lower end of the rod'22 is yieldingly connected with the supporting base 14tby means of the thin metallic strip 23 and the upper end thereof is connected with the contact member 13 by means of the spring 24. A compression spring 25, which is disposed within the supporting strap 26 so as to press on the plunger in the line of movement of the plunger, is provided for biasing the plunger 17'to its right-hand position. The strain of the spring 25 can be adjusted by means of the adjusting screw 27 and the gap between the. plunger 17 and the. core of the operating electromagnet can be adjusted by means of the adjusting screw 28. A conducting chute 29 is provided for directing a blast of airjacross the contacts 10 andflQ in order to cool these contacts and thereby permit large currents to be carried, and also for the purpose of extinguishing the arcs formed between the contacts when they separate 4 iAs thus constructel and, arranged,; and

' with the ;j-parts' in the various positions shown in the drawings, the operation. of When the winding of the electromagnet 16 is, ener gized, the plunger 17 is drawn quickly to the left with-in the winding of the electromagnet, and infso doing carries with it the V the plunger permit of minor relative movecontact member 13 so as to cause the movable contact 12 to make engagement with the stationary contact 10. Through the medium oi? the spring 24, the supporting rod will follow the movement oi the contact member 13 and maintain the right-hand support for the armature 17. The spring 26 will be put under compression tending to move the plunger ot the electromagnet to its right-hand position, but as long as the electromagnet is energized, the plunger will be maintained in its left-hand position and the switch contacts will be closed. When the electromagnct deenergized, the spring 26 will cause the contact 12 to return to the open position, and the plunger 17 to be moved to its right-hand position, that shown in the drawing.

In case it is desired to adjust the switch to operate at a diii'erent value oi current in the magnet winding, the adjusting screw 28 will be turned until the plunger 17 is at the proper position. In. case it is dosired that the movable contact 12 shall have a greater biasing eiiect toward the open position, the adjusting screw 27 will be turned until the desired biasing effect is obtained.

The stationary contact 10 may readily be adjusted with reference to the movable contact 12 by loosening the bolts 30 and adjusting the contact to the desired position.

Although not necessarily limited thereto, my invention has a particular application in switches which are required to be repeatedly and quickly operated as, for instance, switches for controlling an electric circuit for sending wireless signals. A switch constructed in accordance with my invention will have a very small friction effect, so that the speed of operation can be very great.

Because oi? the resilient mounting for the s *itch member 13, the contacts will be given a wiping action in closing and there will be a cushioning effect when the contacts make engagement.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the prin ciple of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which. I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means,

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. An electromagnetic switch comprising a switch contact biased to one position, an electromagnet having a plunger for operat ing the'contact to a second position, supports for the ends of the said plunger, and con nections between the said supports and the said switch contact for supporting the said plunger at both oi? its ends and operatively connecting both ends of the plunger with the contact.

2. An electromagnetic switch comprising a switch contact biased to one position, an electromagnet having a plunger for operating tl e contact to a second position, a resilient support ifor supporting one end of the said plunger, and means "for supporting the other end of the plunger and operatively connecting both ends oithe plunger with the said contact.

An electromagnetic switch comprising a resiliently mounted contact member movable to and from an operative position, a resiliently mounted support resiliently connected to the contact member, and an operating clectron'iagnct having a plunger supported between the contact member and the said support.

4i. An electromagnetic switch comprising a contact member movable to and from an operative position, an electromagnet having a plunger for operating the contact member, a movable support, and a spring connecting the suport and the contact member for holding the said plunger between the member and the support.

An electromagnetic switch comprising a contact member movable to and from an operative position, an operating electromagnet having a plunger for operating the contact member, a support mounted on the contact member for one end of the plunger, and a support for the other end of the plunger connected to and movable with the contact member.

(5. An electromagnetic switch comprising a contact member movable to and from an operative position, an operating electromagnet having a plunger, means for biasing the contact member and plunger to one position, a support for one end of the plunger, means connecting the said support with the contact member l er holding the said plunger between the contact member and the support and operatively connecting the plunger with the contact member.

7. An electromagnetic switch comprising a contact member movable to and from an operative position, an elcctroinagnet having a plunger for operating the contact member, a movable support, aspring connecting the support and the contact member for holding the plunger between the contact member and the support, and pivotal connections between the ends of the plunger and the contact member and the said support for supporting the plunger and operatively connecting the same with the contact member.

8. An electromagnetic switch comprising a resiliently mounted contact member movable to and from an operative position, an electromagnet having a plunger for operating the member, a resiliently mounted suptact member, andmeans for adjusting the positions of the contact member and the plunger. 1 r V 9. An electromagnetic switch comprising a resiliently mounted contact member movable to and from an operative position, an

, electromagnet having a plunger for operat- 'ing the contact, a resiliently mounted support, a spring connecting the support and the contact member, knife-edge pivotal con nections between the ends of the plunger and the contact member and support forsupporting the plunger and operatively connecting the same with the contact member, means for biasing the contact member to one position, and means for adjusting the position of the plunger.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day of March, 1921.

WILLIAM BROWN. 

